Algeria:
10 years of state of emergency, 10 years of grave human rights abuses

AI Index: MDE 28/003/2002
Publish date: 08/02/2002

Ten years after the
declaration of the state of emergency in Algeria, the authorities have
failed woefully to bring an end to the human rights crisis in the country,
Amnesty International said on the eve of the anniversary (tomorrow) 9
February 2002.

"Since 1992,
despite Algeria's obligations under domestic law and international human
rights standards, successive governments have not only failed to take
the necessary measures to ensure that thorough, independent and impartial
investigations are carried out into grave human rights abuses, they have
repeatedly blocked the attempts of others to scrutinize the human rights
situation in the country," the organization said.

The blanket of impunity
for human rights abuses has allowed many of those responsible for the
most appalling crimes to escape justice and has denied the victims and
their families the opportunity to seek redress.

Human rights violations
in Algeria have become institutionalized. In the last year alone, more
than 80 civilians were unlawfully killed by the security forces and dozens
more tortured or held for varying periods of time in secret detention.
Some 200 people continue to die every month as a result of the continuing
decade-long armed conflict. The level of killing has remained largely
unchanged since early 1999. Many are civilians, including women and children,
killed in targeted and indiscriminate attacks by armed groups.

"Reported cases
of human rights abuses may represent only the tip of the iceberg,"
the organization said, as it is extremely difficult to obtain information
about violations due to widespread fear among victims and their families
that reporting violations will only exacerbate their predicament. An official
commission of inquiry, set up by the authorities to look into the killing
of dozens of unarmed demonstrators in the region of Kabylia last year,
reported in December 2001 that it was unable to complete its mission because
many witnesses were too afraid to speak to them.

The authorities have
also taken some measures to ensure that the continuing human rights crisis
goes largely unnoticed within the international community. These include
recently passed legislation further curbing freedom of expression and
severe restrictions on access to foreign observers.

Despite repeated
attempts to send a delegation to Algeria in 2001, Amnesty International
has not been permitted to visit the country to conduct regular research
activities since November 2000. The organization was able to visit on
two occasions in 2000, but otherwise has been denied entry to Algeria
since mid-1996. Other international human rights organizations have also
been unable to gain access for at least a year.

The UN Working Group
on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, which asked to visit Algerian
2000, has not been granted access to the country. Long-standing requests
by the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings, summary or arbitrary
executions and the UN Special Rapporteur on torture to visit Algeria have
similarly not resulted in invitations.

"Basic human
rights can not continue to be sacrificed on the alter of national security,"
Amnesty International said, adding that "On this occasion of the
10th anniversary of the state of emergency, the Algerian government is
duty-bound to begin to conform with its obligations under national law
and international human rights standards and practice."

Background
Since 1992 more than 100,000 Algerians have been killed, thousands have
been tortured and thousands more have "disappeared" after being
arrested by the security forces. Yet, in the vast majority of serious
human rights violations, no matter whether the perpetrators were the security
forces, state-armed militias or armed groups, the truth about what happened
has not been clarified and little has been done to hold those responsible
accountable.

A 12-month state
of emergency was imposed by the Algerian authorities on 9 February 1992,
following the cancellation of the second round of Algeria's first multi-party
elections which the Front islamique du salut (FIS), Islamic Salvation
Front, looked set to win. A year later, the state of emergency was extended
indefinitely. In October 1992 an emergency "anti-terrorist"
decree was passed. In 1995 the decree was incorporated virtually in its
entirety into permanent legislation.